Claudio Ranieri has admitted that Leicester City have lost their competitive edge this season, but says that all is not yet lost for his players.
The Foxes have made the worst-ever start to a Premier League title defence, winning just three out of 14 games so far to find themselves sitting two points above the relegation zone.
Ranieri made 10 changes to his side for the 5-0 defeat to Porto on Wednesday night, with progression in the Champions League already assured, but the Italian was not willing to discuss the disappointing form shown by last season's star attacking talents Riyad Mahrez and Jamie Vardy.
"I don't want to talk about the key players, I speak about the team, OK? And they know, the players, they know very well for me the result in something beside, not the focus," he told reporters.
"I want them to play well, to play for the team, to fight, to be strong, competitive, that it what I want. No more. But if you lost this, how can you win? I think now not even the best players can win without... fight.
"That is my idea about football, because last season, we won because some teams didn't fight as well as us. And then we must come back, not to win the title, but to defend the title, to not be in the relegation zone. That is what we want to do."
Leicester have failed to win in the top flight since October 22 when beating Crystal Palace 3-1, going five games without maximum league points since then.
Daniel Lewis
